CIW NEWS ARCHIVES
Click on these headlines for the full stories from the CIW media files:
Profiles and Perspectives from National Publications
- February 1, 2001: Florida farmworkers take on fast-food giant Christian Science Monitor
- April 9, 00: Former Migrant Organizes Workers Miami Herald
- March 28, 00: A Growing Voice for Fla. Farm Workers Los Angeles Times Front-Page Article
- March, 00: Lucas Benitez se puso los pantalones y pidio justicia para los suyos People Magazine en espanol
- January 13, 98: Florida farm workers fast for better wages, Washington Post
Taco Bell Boycott:
ON TACO BELL CAMPAIGN - GENERAL
Weekly
Planet, "Picking a Fight" June
7-13. This is an excellent
article that ties the history of the Coalition with the Taco
Bell boycott:
New
California Media (7/6/01) "Tomato Pickers Protest Rotten
Deal"
BBC News story: "Florida tomato pickers urge tomato boycott" (3/3/01)
Christian Science Monitor story: "Florida farmworkers take on fast food giant" (2/1/01)
Palm Beach Post EDITORIAL: "Raise the Chalupa" (2/5/01)
Naples Daily News story, I (2/7/01) and Naples Daily News story, II (2/18/01)
AP story: "Farmworkers ask Taco Bell for aid in improving field conditions" (2/2/01)
"SUMMER OF ACTION
IN THE TACO BELL BOYCOTT"
Pasadena Independent (6/28/01) - Protest in Pasadena, CA (Check back soon...update forthcoming!)
Fresno Alliance* (June 2001) - The CIW in Fresno (Click on the story titled "No Quiero Taco Bell")
Union Labor News (June 2001) "UW Students Urge 'Boycott Taco Bell" - Protest in Madison, WI
Daily Planet "Students Support Taco Bell Boycott" (5/23/01) - Protest in Berkeley, CA
Daily Bruin** (5/17/01) - "Don't write off UCLA labor because media ignores it" - Student activism with labor at UCLA
*The actual percentage of tomatoes Taco Bell buys from Immokalee is not known as of yet.
**The three general strikes and the 30-day hunger strike took place before the Taco Bell boycott began.
ON MAY DAY PROTESTS
Palm Beach Post Editorial: "From Nike to Taco Bell" (5/8/01)
Tallahassee Democrat Op/Ed: "Like Nike, Taco Bell must not support suffering" (5/5/01)
Gainesville Sun report: "UF students join protest over tomato dispute" (5/02/01)
Palm Beach Post report: "Tomato pickers protest at Taco Bell" (5/02/01)
Naples Daily News report: "Protesters target Taco Bell over farming conditions" (5/02/01)
IN SPANISH
La Opinion: "Campesinos piden boicot contra Taco Bell" (5/7/01)
ON NOTRE DAME PROTEST
Op-ed on the Boycott: "Take charge of your taco" (4/5/01)
Article on the Protest: "Students protest Taco Bell" (4/9/01)
Op-ed on the Protest: "Burrito revolution" (4/10/01)
Answer
to Op-ed: "Plan goes beyond protest"
(4/13/01)
ON ORLANDO PROTEST (4/01/01)
Orlando Sentinel story: "Taco Bell protesters call for boycott" (4/2/01)
Florida Catholic story (4/5/01)
ON TALLAHASSEE PROTEST (2/25/01)
Tallahassee Democrat: "Protesters march around Taco Bell" (2/26/01)
Naples Daily News: "Immokalee Workers join in Capital Taco Bell protests" (2/26/01)
ON ST. PETE PROTEST (2/18/01)
St. Pete Times story: "Migrants protest at Taco Bell" (2/19/01)
Tampa Tribune story: "Protesters seek pay for pickers" (2/19/01)
Weekly Planet story: "Taco Hell" (2/18/01)
OTHER TACO BELL STORIES/EDITORIALS
- January 30, 00: Hope in the Fields: Palm Beach Post editorial
- January 18, 00: Farm workers ask Taco Bell's help in dispute with growers
- 01/17/00: Immokalee workers stage labor protest at Taco Bell in Fort Myers
- (2/21/01): Someone to Fight for Farmworkers' Rights - Bill Maxwell - St. Petersburg Times
United Campaign of Florida Farmworker Organizations
*** NEW *** CIW and other farmworker organizations hold press conference in Tallahassee, announce "month of protest":
- 10/29/00: Farmworkers get short shrift over fair wages (Opinion, St. Petersburg Times)
- 10/23/00: Farmworkers conclude fast on Capitol steps in Tallahassee (Naples Daily News)
- 10/22/00: Farmworker protests continue with two-day fast in Tallahassee (Naples Daily News)
- 10/09/00: Editorial Workers call for help deserves a listening ear (Daytona Beach News-Journal)
- 10/08/00: Farmworker protests begin (St. Petersburg Times)
- 10/05/00: Farmworker groups to bring pay issues to state capital today (Naples Daily News)
- 10/06/00: Bush refuses to intervene (Naples Daily News)
- 10/06/00: Florida farmworkers protest after Bush refuses to mediate dispute (AP - Daytona News- Journal)
- 10/06/00: Farmworkers want talks with growers (Tallahassee Democrat)
Anti-slavery project news: This article on the Coalition's Anti-Slavery Project discusses one of the most extreme forms of abuse that results from the lack of modern labor relations in the fields:
- 10/20/00: Immokalee man convicted of kidnapping (Naples Daily News)
- 10/18/00: Drama marks 'modern day slavery' trial (Ft. Myers News Press)
- 07/02/00: Farmworker who testified on slave-like conditions honored by NOW
- 5/5/99: Slavery: A zero-tolerance crime, Naples Daily News Editorial
- 11/19/97: Farmworker Slavery: This time, justice wins, Naples Daily News Editorial
- 05/12/97: Migrant workers: Exploitation still exists, Naples Daily News Editorial
- 09/21/99: Man gets three-year sentence for smuggling farmworkers
- 12/13/96: Coalition of Immokalee Workers - A voice against injustice, Naples Daily News Editorial
Anti-guestworker legislation campaign
*** NEW *** Agricultural Guestworker Legislation Defeated!
- 12/16/00: Sarasota Herald Tribune article on death of guestworker bill
- 9/29/00: Protest against "guestworker"bill in Orlando (Ft. Myers News Press)
- 9/21/00: Wall Street Journal article on bill and protest
- 9/21/00: Coalition members travel to Washington to make concerns heard on "legalized slavery" bill in House
March for Dignity, Dialogue and a Fair Wage for Florida Farmworkers
- March 18, 00: Coalition Meets with Governor over Petitions
- 03/17/00: Immokalee farmworkers group to present petition to governor
- March 16, 00: Press Release: Farmworker Delegation to carry over 5,000 signatures collected during recent march to tallahassee today
- March 7, 00: Bruce Springsteen Meets with Marchers before concert
- March 5, 00: Farmworker supporters reach end of march for better wages, benefits
- March 5, 00: Farmworkers protest wages, working conditions for tomato pickers
- 03/04/00: March: Farmworkers protest wages, working conditions for tomato pickers
- February 25, 00: Migrants on the march
- February 23, 00: Catholic bishops show support at farmworker march
- February 21, 00: Farmworkers, supporters continue trek to Orlando
- February 20, 00: March: Immokalee farmworkers begin march to Orlando
- February 19, 00: Farmworkers taking cause for better pay on a march to Orlando
- February 17, 00: COALITION OF IMMOKALEE WORKERS ANNOUNCES "MARCH FOR DIGNITY, DIALOGUE, AND A FAIR WAGE FOR FLORIDA FARMWORKERS"
National Awards
- 07/02/200: NOW recognizes CIW member Julia Gabriel with 2000 "Women of Courage Award" for stand against slavery
- October 28, 99: Lucas Benitez wins $100,000 Do Something BRICK Award National Grand Prize
- 11/13/98: Farmworker wins national leadership award
- 09/26/99: Immokalee man wins national honor for community leadership
- 11/16/99: Immokalee man recognized as community leader
1999 General Strike
- January 12, 00: Senator's Visit Boosts Farmworkers
- January 9, 00: U.S. Sen. Graham visits Immokalee to garner support for farm labor reforms
- January 6, 00: Senator Bob Graham to meet with Immokalee farmworkers
- 12/21/99: Trouble in the Fields, A St. Petersburg Times Editorial
- 12/1999: State: Striking for pay, pride
- 12/19/99: Workers ending protest over wages ... for now
- 12/20/99: Immokalee workers say holiday is no sign protest have ended
- December 19, 99: Governor to encourage talks; Coalition suspends protests; Y2K will see continued protests if no progress forthcoming
- 12/18/99: Editorial: Ripe for Some Reform, The Palm Beach Post Editorial
- 12/18/99: Immokalee workers trek to Tallahassee
- December 17, 99: Charges to be dropped against arrested Coalition member
- December 14, 99: Fla. Farm Workers Threaten Stoppage, Associated Press
- December 13, 99: Hundreds of tomato pickers in Immokalee take to the streets to protest wages
- 12/14/99: Farm: Coalition's letter to Governor Bush
1997-1998 Hunger Strike
- January 13, 98: Florida Farm Workers Fast for Better Wages, Washington Post
- January, 1997: Farmworker wage dispute; Growers ought to start talking- and listening, Naples Daily News Editorial
- 11/04/98: Farmworkers' Hunger Strike: Growers, it's time to talk, Naples Daily News Editorial
Pre-1997 Action and Other Headlines
- *** NEW *** 9/29/00: Immokalee group protests proposed guest worker bills
- *** NEW *** 9/30/00: Hispanic Culture 2000 Festival presented by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
- *** NEW *** 09/21/00: Coalition of Immokalee Workers sees new House bill as 'legalized slavery'
- 04/01/00: Activism 2000 rally wants young people to start making a difference
- 01/18/00: Coalition, officials strengthen parade, Fort Myers News Press Editorial
- October 99: CIW Participates in March of the Americas
- 02/12/96: Coalition gains validation, Naples Daily News Editorial
- 07/19/98: Immokalee Progress: Fighting Back on 2 Fronts, Naples Daily News Editorial
- 11/16/95: Pickers Deserve More, Fort Myers News-Press Editorial
- 05/16/98: Labor union leader wants to set up a strike fund for local farmworkers
- 07/14/98: Immokalee 'pilgrimage' offers glimpse of farmworker lifestyles
- 10/04/98: Immokalee farmworkers travel to Miami to protest 'guest-worker' legislation
- 12/05/98: Wages, housing, possible strike among topics at farmworker seminar
- 05/14/99: Housing: Immokalee residents speak out
- 08/11/99: Landowners want legislation to stop saw palmetto pickers
- 09/11/99: Immokalee workers crash inaugual Farmworker Housing Coalition session